Asia

North Korean soldier defects across demilitarized zone

A
young, "low-ranking" North Korean soldier defected to South Korea
across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two countries early
Thursday morning, South Korea said.

The
soldier, aged in his late teens or early 20s, was carrying a personal
firearm when he crossed the DMZ in heavy fog just after 8.00 a.m. local
time, South Korean authorities said.

It
is the second defection across the heavily-guarded border in less than
two months; another North Korean soldier was shot multiple times while
dramatically escaping to the South on November 13.

No
shots were fired during the latest defection, South Korea's Joint
Chiefs of Staff said. However, more than one hour later, around 9.30
a.m., South Korean soldiers fired 20 warning shots as North Korean
soldiers appeared to search for the defector.

Several
other gunshots were heard from the northern side of the border at 10.13
a.m. and 10.16 a.m., South Korean authorities said.

The
defector is in custody and is likely being questioned as authorities
investigate the reasons behind his defection, and seek other information
about his life in one of the world's most reclusive states.

Another
North Korean soldier who defected to the South spoke to CNN in November
about the harsh conditions endured by military servicemen in North
Korea.

Kang Ri Hyuk said soldiers in his home country were dying of hunger and disease.

"There
are countless soldiers in North Korea who cannot even walk because of
malnourishment," he told CNN. "The UN is sending rice and fertilizer to
North Korea, but not a single grain goes to North Korea's ordinary
people."

Fourth defection in 2017

Prior
to this year, there had only been four defections from North Korea's
armed forces in the past five years: one in 2016, one in 2015 and two in
2012.

John Delury, associate
professor at the Yonsei University Graduate School of International
Studies in Seoul, told CNN it was far to early to draw any conclusions
from the numbers of defections in 2017.

"There
are often individual motives to spur this ... four in a year is not
enough to constitute evidence of something systemic," he said. "There
would be need to be a lot more (defections) I would say."

Following
Oh's desertion, fellow deserter Kang told CNN the soldier's flight
would give hope to other military members hoping to flee.

"This
incident was an opportunity to give courage to other North Korean
soldiers serving in the military in the DMZ," he said in November. "I
think we could see another soldier crossing the border with a jeep."